That's thanks to Brooklyn-born chef and owner Charles Blonkenfeld. After experimenting with dough and recipes during the COVID lockdown, Blonkenfeld launched Bagelfeld's, first at Valley farmers markets and then with his own brick-and-mortar bakery in 2022. In 2023, Bon Appetit listed it among the 24 best bagel shops in the country. And now, it's got another accolade to celebrate.
Tasting Table just released a list of the best bagel shops in every state. The online food magazine calculated the winners by triangulating Google Reviews with "our own experiences and other professional reviews," according to the list. The researchers specifically looked for shops with a wide range of bagel flavors and "next-level schmears and sandwiches."
For Arizona, Bagelfeld's took the top spot. The small Thomas Road bakery has an average Google rating of 4.6 and a 4.4 on Yelp. The list also notes the "sheer perfection of the crispy coating, which creates the perfect crackle with every bite."
We tend to agree. Bagelfeld's excellent chewy, doughy, crusty rounds were named our Best of Phoenix winner for best bagels in 2022 and 2023.
The bakery sells a range of flavors, with savory options including spicy jalapeno cheddar, seed-coated sesame, everything and poppy seed, plus plain, salt and asiago. Sweet options include the blueberry bagel and crossover flavors such as the fennel raisin and olive, rosemary and orange bagels which are available on Saturdays only. Schmears come in flavors including smoked salmon cream cheese, honey brown butter and pepper garlic.
These standout bagels have a devoted following and tend to sell out quickly. So, if you want to try the acclaimed baked goods at Bagelfeld's, get your orders in early.
